NEW YORK, Jan. 2, 2015, The beginning of the new year is a great time to check in on your retirement savings plan, according to J.P. Morgan Asset Management Chief Retirement Strategist Katherine Roy. The firm has shared 5 tips for individuals to consider heading into 2015.

Know where you stand

“Whether you’re nearing retirement or still several decades away, it’s important to know where you stand now,” says Katherine. Find out if you’re on track with J.P. Morgan’s Guide to Retirement savings checkpoint: http://bit.ly/jpm_gtr_check

15 is the new 10

The single most important thing you can do is to target saving at least 15% of your gross annual income (before taxes) each and every year. Katherine offers these tips to help avoid “undersaving” and maximize your savings potential:

Pay yourself first with automatic deductions from each paycheck, so you are benefitting from dollar cost averaging throughout the year.

Max out on employer retirement plans – such as 401(k), 403(b) and 457 plans. The 15% target includes your employer match.

If you aren’t covered by an employer plan, be sure to make your IRA contribution. If you are, consider a non-tax-deductible contribution to shelter more long-term income for income tax purposes.

Don’t forget to take advantage of catch-up contributions if you’re age 50 or over.

Get a better grasp of your spending behavior. The less you spend, the more you can save and invest.

How you invest will have a large impact on how much you have at retirement. No matter how much you save, investing in a portfolio that is too conservative is likely to lead to a poor outcome. “You can’t count on unrealistic investment returns to make up for saving too little,” says Katherine. “Maintaining a disciplined, balanced saving and investment strategy is critical.” And, now is a good time to take stock of how your retirement portfolio is allocated. http://bit.ly/jpm_gtr_returns

Prepare to pay more for health care in retirement

The estimated annual out-of-pocket health care costs for the average 65-year-old retiree is currently about $4,000 a year and, in 20 years, is projected to grow to more than $10,000. For someone with high prescription expenses, those costs are around $7,000 per year, projected to grow to more than $14,000 in 30 years. http://bit.ly/jpm_gtr_hccosts

Katherine advises, “ensure your retirement portfolio is positioned for this growing expense. With health care costs rising faster than inflation, we recommend planning for 7% to account for both health care inflation as well as higher spending on health care costs as you age.”

Consider delaying Social Security

As you can see in the chart, for every year you delay taking Social Security beyond your full retirement age (age 66 for those born 1943-1954; age 67 for those born in 1960 or after), you can expect an 8% per year increase in benefits up until age 70. If you can’t wait until age 70, at least hold off until your full retirement age. “If you start taking benefits earlier than full retirement age, you’ll not only lock in reduced benefits for your lifetime, but benefits to your survivors could also be significantly reduced,” says Katherine. http://bit.ly/jpm_gtr_delay

A well-informed plan can help take some of the emotion out of saving and investing. Work with a financial advisor who can help you develop a plan and course correct along the way. Katherine recommends, “Meet with your financial advisor at least annually to ensure your retirement plan stays on track.”

About J.P. Morgan Asset Management – Retirement

J.P. Morgan Retirement, part of J.P. Morgan Asset Management, is a leading provider of comprehensive retirement solutions and is dedicated to improving individual retirement outcomes. The group has defined contribution assets under management of nearly $135 billion, as of September 30, 2014.

About J.P. Morgan Asset Management

J.P. Morgan Asset Management, with assets under management of $1.6 trillion, is a global leader in investment management. J.P. Morgan Asset Management’s clients include institutions, retail investors and high net worth individuals in every major market throughout the world. J.P. Morgan Asset Management offers global investment management in equities, fixed income, real estate, hedge funds, private equity and liquidity. JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM), the parent company of J.P. Morgan Asset Management, is a leading global asset management firm with assets of approximately $2.4 trillion and operations in more than 60 countries. Information about JPMorgan Chase & Co. is available at www.jpmorganchase.com

HARRISON, New York, April 25, 2014, Transamerica Retirement Solutions today recognized two financial advisors with its inaugural Transamerica Financial Educators Award. The awards ceremony took place during Transamerica’s second annual Retirement Readiness Summit (April 23-25) and coincides with National Financial Educators Day on April 25.

The awards acknowledged the work of two financial advisors whose efforts to improve financial literacy have positively impacted their communities and clients – Tom Hoffman with Lincoln Investment Planning, Inc. and Jania Stout with the Fiduciary Consulting Group at PSA.

Mr. Hoffman received the Transamerica Financial Educators Award for community education for his outstanding educational outreach to high school students in Massachusetts. Through his successful, community-based financial education program, local high school students have learned real-world financial management skills such as how to create a budget and manage financial events like unforeseen health expenses.

Ms. Stout received the Transamerica Financial Educators Award for employee engagement for her unique educational program for retirement plan participants. To address the challenge of low retirement savings rates among U.S. workers, Ms. Stout developed the Retirement HERO Program to provide an easy-to-understand method of saving for retirement. Ms. Stout’s four-step program encourages workers to have a budget, eliminate debt, know their retirement number, and own their plan.

A special Financial Education Leadership Award was also presented by the National Financial Educators Council to Deb Rubin, senior vice president of TPA and specialist advisor distribution for Transamerica Retirement Solutions, for her leadership and dedication to improving retirement outcomes for American workers.

“Financial education is an integral part of any effort to help American workers achieve a secure retirement. Transamerica is proud to recognize the winners of the Transamerica Financial Educators Award for their efforts to increase financial literacy in their communities,” said Stig Nybo, president of pension sales and distribution for Transamerica Retirement Solutions. “We’re especially proud of Transamerica’s Deb Rubin. She is passionate about improving financial security and her work to promote the importance of financial education will help create better retirement outcomes for many Americans.”

Transamerica is currently accepting nominations for the 2015 Transamerica Financial Educators Award. To submit a nomination, apply online at trsretire.com.

About Transamerica Retirement Solutions

Transamerica Retirement Solutions (Transamerica) is a leading provider of customized retirement plan solutions for small to large organizations.

Transamerica helps more than three million retirement plan participants save and invest wisely to secure their retirement dreams. For more information about Transamerica Retirement Solutions Corporation, please visit trsretire.com.

About The National Financial Educators Council

The National Financial Educators Council is a personal finance company dedicated to creating a world where people are informed to make qualified financial decisions that improve their lives, the lives of their loved ones, and the lives of people they impact around the globe. The NFEC promotes advocacy campaigns, sets standards, conducts research and shares best practices that further the financial literacy movement. Learn more at FinancialEducatorsCouncil.org.

Transamerica Retirement Solutions Corporation is not affiliated with the National Financial Educators Council.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 26, 2013, U.S. News & World Report today released its fifth annual Best Nursing Homes ratings, highlighting the top nursing homes in each state and nearly 100 major metropolitan areas. The ratings cover more than 15,000 nursing homes nationwide and are freely available at http://www.usnews.com/best-nursing-homes.

More than 3 million Americans will spend at least part of 2013 in a nursing home. Too often, they and their families will encounter great difficulty in choosing the right nursing home. Best Nursing Homes will simplify their work by helping them pick a home with a strong track record, whether they live in California, which has twice as many highly rated homes as any other state, or in a region where good nursing homes may be few and far between.

Visit homes at different times and on different days of the week to make sure residents are occupied throughout the day;

Look for signs that staff has a close relationship with residents, such as calling them by name and making sure they eat;

Ask to see inspection reports, then ask how any safety or health problems were resolved;

Review hidden costs, such as physical therapy or dentist appointments.

Best Nursing Homes also provides advice on spotting warning signs of bad care and how to pay for care. The articles and searchable database of ratings are exclusive to the website and aren’t expected to appear in print.

To create Best Nursing Homes, U.S. News drew on data from Nursing Home Compare, run by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the federal agency that sets and enforces standards for nursing homes. U.S. News awarded the “Best Nursing Home” designation to homes that recently earned an overall rating of five stars, the agency’s highest. Each home is also rated separately on quality of care, health-inspections record, and level of nurse staffing.

“Using trustworthy data, we’ve built a consumer-friendly tool to help seniors and their families confront one of life’s most difficult and anxious transitions,” says Avery Comarow , U.S. News Health Rankings Editor. “Best Nursing Homes makes it easier for consumers to identify nursing homes that can best meet their needs in terms of location, quality of care, staffing, and more. All seniors deserve the best nursing care available, and we’ve made sure the information they need is at their fingertips.”

About U.S. News & World ReportU.S. News & World Report is a multi-platform publisher of news and analysis, which includes the digital-only U.S. News Weekly magazine, www.usnews.com, and www.rankingsandreviews.com. Focusing on Health, Personal Finance, Education, Travel, Cars, and Public Service/Opinion, U.S. News has earned a reputation as the leading provider of service news and information that improves the quality of life of its readers. U.S. News & World Report’s signature franchise includes its News You Can Use® brand of journalism and its annual “Best” series of consumer web guides and publications, which include rankings of colleges, graduate schools, hospitals, mutual funds, health plans, and more.

LINCOLNSHIRE, Ill., Feb. 6, 2013, A new survey by Aon Hewitt, the global human resources solutions business of Aon plc (NYSE: AON), reveals an increasing number of U.S. employers are planning to add Roth features to their defined contribution (DC) plans in 2013. This comes on the heels of new legislation that makes it easier for DC investors to convert balances within their savings plan into Roth accounts.

Immediately following the passage of the American Tax Payer Relief Act of 2012—or so-called ‘fiscal cliff’ deal—Aon Hewitt conducted a pulse survey of more than 300 individuals representing large U.S. employers to determine the prevalence of Roth accounts and employers’ likely actions with respect to their plans over the next 12 months. According to Aon Hewitt’s findings, while almost half (49 percent) of respondents currently offer no Roth provisions, 29 percent of those that don’t offer Roth are very or somewhat likely to add this feature in the next 12 months. Of those new adopters, more than three-quarters (76 percent) will add both Roth contribution and in-plan conversion features.

“While employers have steadily been adopting Roth features in recent years, the new law, along with a better understanding of Roth by both participants and companies, will encourage more plan sponsors to add these options in the near-term,” said Patti Balthazor Bjork , director of Retirement Research at Aon Hewitt.

Aon Hewitt’s survey also found that employers that already have a Roth contribution option are likely to allow employees to make in-plan conversions to Roth accounts. Of those respondents that currently allow Roth contributions but do not offer in-plan conversions, more than half (53 percent) are very or somewhat likely to add this feature in the next 12 months.

For companies that already allow Roth contributions and in-plan conversions, more than three-quarters (79 percent) are very or somewhat likely to expand the eligibility for in-plan conversions, allowing them for previously non-distributable amounts.

“The new rules open the door for employers to allow expanded in-plan conversions, but it’s not a requirement,” explained Bjork. “However, it makes the Roth conversions more attractive for employees, so there will likely be increased interest and incentive for employers to offer them.”

Aon Hewitt’s retirement practice advises, designs and administers defined contribution benefits for hundreds of mid-sized and large plans. For more information visit aonhewitt.com.

About Aon HewittAon Hewitt is the global leader in human resource solutions. The company partners with organizations to solve their most complex benefits, talent and related financial challenges, and improve business performance. Aon Hewitt designs, implements, communicates and administers a wide range of human capital, retirement, investment management, health care, compensation and talent management strategies. With more than 29,000 professionals in 90 countries, Aon Hewitt makes the world a better place to work for clients and their employees. For more information on Aon Hewitt, please visit www.aonhewitt.com.

Manulife Financial, John Hancock Investor Sentiment Surveys: Affluent North American Investors Believe They Are Financially On Track

Affluent Canadian and American investors optimistic about the future

Seventy per cent of affluent North American investors on track to meet financial goals

US investor sentiment holds steady while Canadian sentiment rises

Canadians and Americans aligned in financial New Year’s resolutions and priorities

TORONTO, Jan. 21, 2013, Affluent North American investors are feeling very optimistic about their personal finances heading into 2013. Seventy per cent of affluent investors in both Canada and the United States agree that they are either ahead of plan, or on track, to meet their personal financial goals and about 50 per cent anticipate that their financial position will improve over the next two years.

Six out of ten affluent Canadian and American investors say that they are on track to meet their current financial goals while roughly 10 per cent say that they are ahead of plan on their goals. Just one in five investors surveyed in both countries indicate that they are behind on their financial goals but they are likely to catch up.

“It’s positive to see that, despite ongoing news about the fiscal cliff, global debt and U.S. debt ceiling, economic uncertainty and other challenges, our surveys indicate that affluent North American investors are feeling very confident about their financial future,” said Paul Lorentz , Executive Vice-President, Investment and Insurance Solutions for Manulife Financial.

The findings are derived from a comparison of the results of the latest Manulife Financial and John Hancock Investor Sentiment Index surveys. The surveys – conducted in Canada and the U.S in December 2012 – measure affluent investors’ feelings about whether or not this is a good time to invest in a variety of savings and investment vehicles and the likelihood of purchasing specific financial products and services.

Investor sentiment differs in North America
In Canada, overall affluent investor sentiment index strengthened in the second half of the year, rising to +31, from +26 in January 2012. In the U.S., investors’ confidence held steady in the fourth quarter of 2012, with the John Hancock Investor Sentiment Index® ticking upward slightly to +18 from a score of +17 in the third quarter of last year.

New Year’s resolutions, financial priorities aligned
Other findings from the surveys show that Canadians and Americans are aligned in their financial New Year’s resolutions and how they plan to achieve their top financial goals.

In Canada (31 per cent) and the United States (29 per cent), the top financial-planning related New Year’s Resolution is to trim household budgets.

Rebalancing portfolios is the second top resolution for 19 per cent of Canadians and also for 19 per cent of Americans.

Top financial priorities for 2013 among affluent Canadians and Americans differ slightly.

Canadians’ top three priorities are to manage/maintain current lifestyle (32 per cent), pay down debt (18 per cent) and save for retirement (15 per cent).

American respondents say their top financial priorities are the same: however, they differ in order with maintain/manage their current lifestyle (35 per cent) topping the list followed by, saving for retirement (29 per cent) and paying down debt (11 per cent).

Similar steps to achieving financial goals
When asked what steps, if any, affluent investors are taking to achieve their financial goals, Canadians and Americans identified the same top four steps. However, these steps varied in terms of priority.

Percentage of Affluent investors that indicated what steps they have taken to achieve their financial goals:

Step taken

Affluent Canadians

Affluent Americans

Talked to a financial
professional for advice

45%

40%

Saved a certain amount on
a regular basis

41%

59%

Reduced spending

40%

45%

Calculated how much
money needed to achieve
goal

27%

41%

Seven in ten affluent Canadians work with a financial advisor to achieve their financial goals while in the U.S., five in ten affluent investors choose to seek professional financial advice. However, affluent investors in both countries indicated that they work with advisors for a similar reason. Seeking advice on how to get better returns is the main reason for Canadians (24 per cent) and Americans (56 per cent) to work with a professional financial advisor.

“We encourage people to work closely with an advisor and stick to a financial plan,” Mr. Lorentz added. “People with integrated financial plans, working with strong, reliable and trustworthy companies, generally feel better prepared for the future, are more confident about reaching their goals and are better equipped deal with the ups and downs in the economy.”

In both countries, those who do not work with a financial advisor say it is because they feel knowledgeable enough to manage their investments on their own (Canada, 26 per cent, U.S., 43 per cent).

About the Investor Sentiment Index Surveys
Both Investor Sentiment Index surveys are conducted in a similar fashion. The survey measures affluent investors’ feelings about the current economic climate and their evaluations of what represents a good or bad investment given the current environment. The poll also asks consumers about their confidence in reaching key financial goals and the likelihood of purchasing financial products and services.

An online survey of 1,127 investors was conducted in the U.S. between November 26th to December 7th. In Canada, a sample of 1,003 investors were surveyed between November 30th to December 8th. Both surveys included household decision-makers at least 25 years of age, with a household income of $75,000 or greater and investable assets of $100,000 or more.

The Canadian research was conducted by Research House, an Environics Company. The U.S. survey was conducted by independent research firm Mathew Greenwald & Associates.

In a similarly-sized random sample survey, the margin of error would be plus or minus +/- 3.10 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.

About Manulife Financial
Manulife Financial is a leading Canada-based financial services group with principal operations in Asia, Canada and the United States. Clients look to Manulife for strong, reliable, trustworthy and forward-thinking solutions for their most significant financial decisions.

Our international network of employees, agents and distribution partners offers financial protection and wealth management products and services to millions of clients. We also provide asset management services to institutional customers. Funds under management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were C$515 billion (US$523 billion) as at September 30, 2012. The Company operates as Manulife Financial in Canada and Asia and primarily as John Hancock in the United States.

Manulife Financial Corporation trades as ‘MFC’ on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under ‘945’ on the SEHK. Manulife Financial can be found on the Internet at manulife.com.

About John Hancock
John Hancock Financial is a division of Manulife Financial, a leading Canada-based financial services group with principal operations in Asia, Canada and the United States. Operating as Manulife Financial in Canada and Asia, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States, the Company offers clients a diverse range of financial protection products and wealth management services through its extensive network of employees, agents and distribution partners.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 16, 2013, New research released today by HelloWallet finds that over 25% of U.S. workers participating in a 401(k) plan will access their 401(k) savings before they reach retirement, now withdrawing $70 billion annually. The study, which analyzed consumer finance data from the Federal Reserve and the U.S. Census Bureau, raises significant questions about the future of the bedrock retirement program as more workers move from traditional pension benefits towards tax-incented defined contribution programs. The survey results also hold significant implications for employers, who collectively invest $118 billion annually in 401(k) programs for their workers’ retirement.

The research finds that one out of four participants in 401(k) retirement programs will either cash-out their savings before retirement – incurring substantial penalties and taxes – or forfeit them to loans. Among the other findings in the research:

26 percent of 401(k) participants now use their 401(k) savings for non-retirement needs;

75 percent report that they breached their savings because of basic money management problems;

Workers now withdraw or breach over $70 billion annually out of their 401(k)s for non-retirement needs;

Penalized withdrawals increased from $36 billion to about $60 billion between 2004 and 2010;

Workers in their 40’s are most likely to breach their savings for non-retirement needs.

“This research shows that employers are not getting the ROI that they may think they are from their retirement investments,” said HelloWallet founder and CEO Matt Fellowes , a former Brookings Scholar who led the study. “Investing in retirement savings is essential for all Americans, but this study demonstrates that a large share of U.S. workers lack the basic financial skills needed to actually benefit from those savings, and it’s costing both them and their employer dearly.”

“While there is no question about the need for retirement savings, the issue raised by our research is whether employees are given the financial tools, including unbiased guidance, to make the best decisions every step of the way,” said Fellowes. “These data strongly indicate that, for many workers, investment advice is misaligned with their investment needs and, as importantly, with their basic day-to-day financial needs.”

The research also finds that only a small percentage of employees (8 percent) are withdrawing funds because they have lost their jobs. Instead, 75 percent of those who have made early withdrawals have done so because they lack basic money management skills and need to meet basic money management challenges, such as emergencies, credit card payments, and health care. In many cases, better planning and guidance would put them on a track to avoid costly mistakes, take advantage of the tax incentives, and accumulate the savings needed for retirement.

For employers, the implications of the research are substantial. American companies now spend $118 billion annually on retirement contributions with the expectation that employees will take maximum advantage of these programs to improve their financial well-being. The new research suggests that employers’ massive investment is not always delivering the intended results.

To aid employers in evaluating the effectiveness of their retirement and other Rewards programs, HelloWallet is providing an online diagnostic. Called the “Financial Wellness Diagnostic,” this free tool provides employers with insight into the needs of their workforce to help them better align their benefits investments to meet that need.

About HelloWallet. HelloWallet is the leading provider of behavioral technology applications that help organizations improve their performance through aligning their Total Rewards spending with their human capital needs. HelloWallet is headquartered in Washington DC and is backed by Morningstar, Inc., TD Fund, Grotech Ventures, and Revolution LLC. For more information, please visit our website www.hellowallet.com or call 866.55.HELLO.

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 14, 2013, For downtown Las Vegas, 2012 came to be known as the “Year of Downtown” for good reason: at least $754 million in public and private projects came to fruition and an additional $355 million in developments were under construction with most of these scheduled to be completed in 2013*.

In 2012, downtown Las Vegas – which does not include the famed Las Vegas Strip and is located just a few miles north – became home to a $485 million performing arts center, a new city hall, two major museums and scores of new businesses. A total of 57 projects were completed, under construction or upgraded in this urban area during the year. “After years of hard work, the city’s highly strategic redevelopment efforts are paying off,” said Bill Arent , director of the city of Las Vegas Economic and Urban Development Department, who also works with the city’s Redevelopment Agency (www.lvrda.org).

According to Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn G. Goodman , redevelopment progress is helping downtown reinvent itself as the region’s true center of community, culture and commerce. The new year’s upcoming development highlights include Zappos.com’s $40 million renovations to the former Las Vegas City Hall to accommodate the company’s 1,200 employees, the $56 million Discovery Children’s Museum scheduled to open this spring, the former Lady Luck Hotel & Casino’s $100 million renovation and reopening as Downtown Grand Hotel & Casino in late 2013, and a former Travelodge repurposed into a temporary housing and resource facility for veterans. In addition, Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh is investing $350 million of his personal wealth in the downtown area for venture capital and entrepreneurial assistance for startup companies as well as community improvements.

Las Vegas’ 2012* redevelopment stats are impressive by any city’s standards. The businesses and projects completed during the year generated work for more than 5,200 construction employees, as well as 1,500 permanent jobs. Today, more than 1,700 construction workers are employed on projects that will generate more than 1,900 permanent jobs.

“A check of recent headlines both locally and globally confirms the new respect for downtown and the renewed energy permeating the area,” said Rich Worthington CEO of The Molasky Companies and president of the Downtown Las Vegas Alliance (DLVA), a nonprofit consortium of more than 40 downtown businesses working to promote the area. The group’s campaign, Rediscover Downtown, targeted to locals, is continuing in 2013 based on its 2012 success.

According to Arent, young families, couples and professionals are contributing to a growing population downtown. They are moving into high-rises and gentrifying downtown neighborhoods full of unique homes built in the 1950s and 1960s that stand in direct contrast to typical cookie-cutter suburban homes in planned housing developments. In addition to the re-population of older single-family neighborhoods close to downtown, the area’s high-rises that just a few years ago were less than 30 or 40 percent full are now close to 100 percent occupied. “What a difference the past few years have made,” said Arent.

But it’s not just residents who are changing their suburban addresses for more urban locales; many area professionals, including real estate brokers and professional service firms are rethinking their office locations to follow the action. Zappos.com has already moved its first 200 employees downtown to prepare for the 2013 relocation of its company headquarters. The LEV Restaurant Group, which owns and operates more than 35 area restaurants, recently moved into the former Ice House Lounge and invested more than $2 million on renovations; and Denny’s recently opened a flagship diner on Fremont Street, complete with wedding chapel and full-service bar. According to Arent, business relocations are becoming more commonplace as decision makers understand that downtown Las Vegas is at the heart of the action.

* 2012 figures based on fiscal year calculations from July 1, 2011 – June 30, 2012
2013 figures based on fiscal year calculations beginning on July 1, 2012